Web-based entry of financial transaction information and subsequent download of such information

Abstract

The systems, methods and related software products which enable users to temporarily store and subsequently retrieve information are disclosed. The system includes a plurality of input devices, client computers (each having a user-specific personal finance application) and a web-site server with a database. The input devices, client computers and server are communicatively linked via a communication network so that a plurality of users can temporarily store and/or manipulate financial transaction information on the server from any of the input devices. Each user can also transmit financial profile information to the server. This information enables the server to replicate the unique profile characteristics for each of the finance applications. This, in turn, simplifies remote entry of information, subsequent download of that information and integration of such information into each user's personal finance application.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09 / 390,138, entitled “Web-Based Entry of Financial Transaction Information and Subsequent Download of Such Information,” filed on Sep. 3, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,446,048 the subject matter of which is incorporated by its entirety herein.BACKGROUND[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to the exchange of financial information over a global communication network. More particularly, the invention relates to centrally storing financial information received from mobile users and subsequently providing that information back to the respective users so that it can be integrated into the users' personal finance software.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]Computer-based record keeping of financial information by individuals has been extremely popular in recent years. With improvements in, and the wide-spread increase in the popularity of, personal comp...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0021]One significant benefit offered by the present invention is a reduction in the probability that erroneous entries could be made in a user's personal finance application. One manner in which this benefit is realized is by increasing the timeliness with which financial information can be recorded. With the advent of the present invention, users no longer need to directly access their personal computers or PDAs in order to input financial transactions. Instead, users can record financial transactions from any of the nearly ubiquitous input devices, such as personal computers, which provide access to a communication network such as the Internet. In one embodiment of the invention, the information can even be automatically delivered from another web-site where a user has consummated a transaction. In this case, the possibility of human error is entirely eliminated and recordation occurs at least substantially, and preferably virtually, instantaneously.

[0022]The possibility of erroneous entries occurring is further reduced because the present invention offers the ability to input financial transaction information from remote input devices in the same manner as a given user would input such information on the user's own personal computer. More specifically, because the database preferably stores each user's account list, category list and class list, a user is able to store transaction information as easily as if they were entering the transaction into their personal finance application directly. Naturally, this feature reduces the possibility of erroneous entries because it reduces the possibility of confusion. Finally, the present invention reduces the possibility of erroneous entries even more effectively than the use of personal digital assistants (PDAs) in the related art. This is because the present...

Problems solved by technology

A number of deficiencies associated with such personal finance applications, however, arise from the facts that most personal finance applications are customizable and are resident on personal computers that remain stationary in the user's home.

While the above-discussed attributes of personal finance software packages offer many advantages to users, they also virtually inescapably lead to the limitation that, in order to input financial transaction information, a given user must have access to the computer in the user's home.

Moreover, insofar as a given personal finance application will, at any point in time, contain an accumulated amount of previously inputted financial information, users cannot practically utilize personal finance applications other than their own.

This deficiency leads to the possibility that delays in entering information will yield errors in the inputted transaction information, or worse, will lead to omissions to enter such information entirely.

When the user finally gets the opportunity to access the user's personal computer to enter the transaction information for the day, the user may have forgotten some details of a given transaction or may have entirel...

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